“It will never come as a shock”: exploring how staff members experience and perceive the player release process from professional football academies

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Previous research highlighted the prospect of releasing players was a stressor for academy coaches, but academy staff members’ perspectives on the release process remain unexplored. Therefore, this study aimed to explore academy staff members’ experiences and perspectives of the release process from professional football academies. Semi-structured interviews (duration: 59–114 min; M ± SD = 85 ± 14 min) were conducted with 18 staff members (coaching staff, n = 8; support staff, n = 10) currently working in professional football club academies in the UK. Data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis, with themes developed from the interviews relating to: “realistically holding on to the dream in the academy system,” “the complexities of making and communicating decisions in the release process,” “the contract meeting -‘it’s the worst part of the job’” and “staff roles and dynamics in the aftercare process.” Staff highlighted a lack of good practice and need for guidelines around conducting contract meetings. Participants outlined potential issues with aftercare provided for released players and offered possible solutions, such as a centralized aftercare support program. Good practice recommendations have been provided with regards to the release process, including how to deliver the release news within contract meetings and aftercare provision. These recommendations can assist the release strategies of professional football club academies and organizations.